The Blue Rag Ain’t For Me

What a young man in the USA faces every day caught between the blue rag and the blue line.

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The Blue Rag Ain’t For Me

by Tyler Cotton

I come from Africans and Native AmericansFrom a place where gangsters are part of my everyday lifeI come from rivers of violence flowing through the streetsWith lots of tricks but not many treatsSouth-Central Los Angeles95th and MainTrying to avoid the Main Street CripsIt’s the territory gang

Where I come from if you’re an athleteYou might get outFootball and basketball are my bread and butterIf it wasn’t for sportsI might be on the front line, Cripin’ itBut on the field, I try to do His willSo that every time I pull on my helmetI thank him for giving me the abilityTo escape the gang lifeThe blue rag ain’t for me

I come from a place where every night I wonder,“Will I make it home?”Always asking their question, “Where you from, cuz?”Dippin’ and dodgin’, trying to keep out of sightIt’s a hassle,But where I come fromWalking home from football practiceI will most likely run into the copsWho always ask the same question,“You have any weapons?”I say “no,” but if they want to take me to the station,There’s nothing I can do about it.

Where I come from,If I make it home alive,I lie in bed, close my eyes and say,“That’s one less day I have to survive,Thank you, God, for keeping me alive.”

About POPS The Club

POPS is a high school club that welcomes all those whose lives have been touched by prison. We offer a space where members are encouraged to write, talk and paint their truths. At POPS we thrive on seeing the world as it is while imagining it as it could be. We are creating hope by tackling shame and fear. We are building a community based on dignity and openness.